BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 9999 06358 799 I ^ = bJ . OF The Secret Diplomatic Career of the Painter PETER PAUL RUBENS MARK LAMSTER U.S. $29.95 CANADA $37.00 'MasterofShadows is a page-turner not to be missed/ LITA-ROSE BETCHERMAN, author ofCourt Lady and Country Wife PETER PAUL RUBENS BEST IS remembered as the old master with the penchant for fleshy pink nudes, an artist more often admired than beloved by modern audiences. In his time, however, Rubens had no equal; his contemporaries revered him as the greatest painter of his era, if not in all of history. His undeniable artistic gifts, bolstered by his mod- est disposition and his reputation as a man of tact and discretion, made Rubens a favorite among monarchs and political leaders across Europe and gave him perfect coverforthe clandestine activities that shapedthe land- scape ofseventeenth-century politics. In Master of Shadows, Mark Lamster tells the story of Rubens's life and brilliantly re-creates the culture, reli- gious conflicts, and political intrigues ofhis time. Com- missions to paint military and political leaders drew Rubens from his Antwerp home to London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. The Spanish crown, recognizing the value ofhis easy access to figures ofpower, enlisted him into diplomatic service. His uncommon intelligence, preternatural charm, and ability to navigate through ever-shifting political winds allowed him to negotiate a critical peace treaty between England and Spain, even A as Europe's shrewdest statesmen plotted against him. pragmatist in a dogmatic world, he devoted much of his life to securinghis beloved but war-tornAntwerp home. And, all the while, he was busy creatinga catalogofart's most enduring masterpieces. Master of Shadows weaves a gripping drama of cloak- and-dagger diplomacy with an insightful, authoritative exploration of Rubens's art and the society, culture, and private passions that influenced it. MASTER SHADOWS OF c^v> ALSO BY MARK LAMSTER Spalding's World Tour: The EpicAdventure That Took Baseball — Around the Globe and Made ItAmerica's Game MASTER of SHADOWS THE SECRET DIPLOMATIC CAREER OF THE PAINTER PETER PAUL RUBENS MARK LAMSTER j NAN A. TALESE DOUBLEDAY | New York London Toronto Sydney Auckland — Copyright © 2009 by Mark Lamster All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Nan A.Talese, a division ofRandom House, Inc., NewYork, and in Canada by Random House ofCanada Limited,Toronto. www.nanatalese com . doubleday is a registered trademark ofRandom House, Inc. Nan A.Talese and the colophon are trademarks ofRandom House, Inc. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA Lamster, Mark, 969- 1 Master ofshadows the secret diplomatic career ofthe painter : — Peter Paul Rubens / Mark Lamster. 1st ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. — 1. Rubens, Peter Paul, Sir, 1577-1640. 2. Painters Belgium — — Biography. 3. Diplomats Belgium Biography. I. Rubens, Peter Paul, Sir, 1577-1640. II. Title. III. Tide: Secret diplomatic career ofthe painter Peter Paul Rubens. ND673.R9L25 2009 759-9493—dc22 [B] 2009009750 ISBN 978-0-385-52379-0 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 13579 8642 10 FIRST EDITION